Fallow Ground.

HALLELUJAH AND AMEN, we've got 8(ish) weeks of school left. I teach through the end of our curriculum and not at the completion of 180 days, so our exact end date it's TBD. BUT STILL- we're on the downhill swing of it and I CAN FEEL IT. 

::jazz hands::

We had Spring Break last week and aside from dusting off the top of my ceiling fan blades (Don't judge me and I won't judge you, m'kay?) and purging two garbage bags of clothes from my closet, I took a day to crank out another month or so of our lesson plans. It's always revealing to take a step back and examine the lay of things, you know?? 

I sat at my dining room table with my coffee and my favorite pens and about 472 of our homeschool books and surveyed where we were. I saw areas we'd already zipped through and places that we were trudging in like mud on our boots. I looked at Phonics and Spelling and multiplication facts. I picked out literature books to read aloud and science experiments we'd like to complete. I SAW IT ALL. 

And then I looked inwardly. Our Ladies Bible Class has been studying Hosea (Side note: If you haven't read it at least thirty times already- GO READ REDEEMING LOVE by Francine Rivers. It'll change your life.) and I've loved it so much more than I'd anticipated because I CAN BE SO MUCH LIKE ISRAEL. 

"Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness, BREAK UP YOUR FALLOW GROUND, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you." -Hosea 10:12, emphasis mine. ::wink::

When I stop and take an assessment of my own life, at the areas I'm personally growing through with heaps of fruitful harvests or in the dark, dusty corners growing weeds and habits and weaknesses that haven't been tended to ages- it can be painful to see. I SAW IT ALL. 

I saw my strong daily Bible study and prayer habits. I saw my reformed entertainment choices. My new exercise regimen. My freshly organized closet and dustless fan blades. But there was more: I saw my distracted parenting. Too much Netflix. My short temper and impatience. Perfectionism. My desire to eat 14 pieces of sprouted sourdough slathered in butter with 37 Lily's chocolate bars while I'm hiding in my laundry room. The housework I have slacked off on and the mountain of laundry that needs to be ironed. 

Sweet merciful heavens- I've got some work to do. 

And that's what I love about this verse. It reminds me that even though I've got plenty of fallow ground, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO STAY THAT WAY. If I'm filtering my focus with eternity and sowing my seeds of righteousness throughout our day- I'll have that fallow ground plowed in no time flat. Hallelujah. 

Now if y'all will excuse me, and as much as the kids will complain, we've got some schoolwork to finish. Bless their hearts. 

Thanks for stopping by! ~Katie.